Pre-arrival Information
Africa Mercy: What to Expect
What should you expect when volunteering with Mercy Ships?
You should expect to have the experience of a lifetime. You should expect to meet and interact with crew from over 30 different countries and numerous denominations and cultures and you should also expect to be challenged, especially if this is you first time in a developing country or living in community. Following is information we pulled to together to prepare for your time with us and help you to adjust your expectations as needed.
ARRIVAL
In order to orient you to the ship and better prepare you for your time on board, you should expect the following:
Upon arrival, you will be embarked on board, sign on articles, given an ID badge and shown to your cabin where you will find a Crew Handbook which explains the ships policies, etc.
Within 24 hours upon your arrival, you will be given a complete tour of the Africa Mercy.
Then, on the Monday night after you arrive, you are required to attend the following meetings:
HR Meet and Greet
At this meeting you will get the chance to meet the Africa Mercy HR Team and get all your arrival paperwork completed.
New Crew Orientation
One of our staff will give you a general overview of community living onboard the Africa Mercy including times and locations of our Crew Devotions and Community Meeting.
Basic Familiarization – Safety & Security
At this meeting our Safety Officer will explain the safety regulations and emergency procedures on the Africa Mercy.
SERVICES ON BOARD
Laundry: We have a large laundry room on board with 10 washers and dryers. There is no charge to use these machines. Laundry soap can be purchased at the Ship Shop.
Library: There is a well stocked library on board giving you access to study references or light reading material, as well as DVD’s, games and magazines to check out.
Hair Salon: We have a small hair salon on board which offers haircuts, perms, colourings, and other services at little to no charge to crew.
SPIRITUAL LIFE
Crew will be living and working in a community with multiple denominations of the Christian faith from many different cultures. All of our crew are expected to attend departmental and community meetings, which in many cases could include some Christian devotional practice, such as music, prayer, or Bible reference, along with ordinary business announcements and updates or changes in the ship’s program. Prayer and worship is often also integrated into the workplace and general social environment of the ship. This community environment is what makes Mercy Ships unique since people from all over the world can come, live, and work together in a confined environment. It’s not for everyone, but those that are able to adapt to this unique environment will find an experience of a lifetime while bringing hope and healing to the forgotten poor.
While we encourage all crew to maintain their own personal spiritual health while serving with us, there are many opportunities to enhance it while on board. In addition to our community meetings and departmental devotionals, we offer all crew the option to join small groups, Bible studies, prayer meetings and other activities.
Except for special events, we do not offer church services on board Sunday mornings. This is to allow crew to attend a local church. We do, however, usually offer an informal service on board on Sunday evenings which is led by a fellow crew member and allows those who could not get off the ship a chance to worship.
WORK SCHEDULE
Every crew member (except primary care givers and children of our long-term crew) is expected to work an average of 45 hours per week. In order to run the ship and hospital effectively, each department has different work schedules and days off. Your work schedule will be communicated to you once you arrive. Depending on your position, this may include nights and weekends.
TIME OFF
In addition to the weekend and regular days off during the week, Mercy Ships has scheduled a 3 day weekend every six weeks to allow our crew extra time off from work. During these 3 day weekends, not everyone will have all three days “off” but we do not schedule surgeries and focus on essential business duties only. During their time off from work, crew typically spend their time going out with friends on board, resting, catching up on correspondence, exercising, doing their laundry, or visiting one of our ministry sites.
VACATION
Long-term crew (those who have a commitment to serve with us 2 years or more) accrue 4-5 weeks vacation/year depending on the number of years of service. Short-term crew (those who serve with us less than 2 years) accrue 1 week vacation for every 6 months of service after the first 6 months of service. Vacation should be requested in advance and coordinated with your Department Head.
Please note: We depend on each crew member to carry out their role on the team for the agreed upon dates and cannot function efficiently if people ask to be released early, except for an unforeseen emergency.
